Fountain pen



Aug. 14, 1945. E, E. KRATZ 2,382,070

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Aug. 14, 1943 IN VEN TOR:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITEDr STATES iPM'ENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN Edwin E. Kratz, Kansas City, Mo. Application August 14, 1943, Serial No.' 498,629

3 Claims.

This invention relates to fountain pens and particularly to the filling mechanism thereof and has for its principal objects to provide a filling mechanism that may be manipulated by the finger of the hand holding the pen point within an ink containing receptacle, and to provide a filling mechanism which effects substantially complete lling of the ink sack of the pen.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a filling mechanism that is easy to operate, inexpensive to manufacture and readily installed in a pen.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafter pointed out, I have provided 'improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pen equipped With a filling mechanism constructed in accordance with the present-invention, the pen being shown in filling position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the pen showing the ller bar in depressed position and effecting collapse of the ink sack.

Fig. 3 is a similar section through the pen after the ink sack has been filled and the filler bar restored'to carrying position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the parts of the pen shown in disassembled spaced relation.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a fountain pen constructed in accordance with the present invention and which includes a barrel 2 having a closed end 3 and an open end 4 for mounting a nipple which carries an ink sack 6 contained Within a bore 1 of the barrel. The nipple 5 has a bore 8 mounting a feeder 9 that cooperates with the nipple in supporting a pen point I0. The feeder 9 has an ink passage II connecting the ink sack with the nibs I2 of the pen point. The parts just described are conventional and may conform to the corresponding parts of any standard pen structure.

Mounted within the bore 1 of the barrel is a sack collapsing bar assembly sleeve-like anchoring collar I4 pressed Within the inner end of the bore 1 of the barrel to anchor a resilient spring-like tongue I5 having an elongated slot I5 and carrying a pressure bar I6 alongside of the ink sack as best illustrated in Fig. 3.

I3 including a In the illustrated instance, the anchoring collar I4 and tongue I5 are preferably formed of a single piece of metal having substantially T- shape to provide Wings I1 and I8 rolled to form a partial cylinder with the ends spaced apart as at I9 to pass the tongue which is bent as'at 2U to extend through the Space 2 I between the wings. The wings, being of resilient material, rmly grip the Wall of the bore 1 anad form a secure anchor Without the use of other fastening means.

Fixed to the outer end of the tongue by a suitable fastening device 22 and extending parallel therewith on the inner face side thereof is a presser bar I6 which, when the parts are assembled in the barrel, is positioned alongside of the inl; sack as shown in-Fig. 3.

In order to actuate the press bar to collapse the ink sack, I provide a lever mechanism which forms an important part of the present invention.

Positioned in a longitudinal slot 24 which is formed in the side of the barrel 2 is a toggle. like lever assembly 25 including a filler bar 26 and a lift bar 21. The iller bar 26 is pivotally retained Within one end of theA slot by a split anchor ring 2B which extends through an opening 29 in the bar and isengaged within a circumferential groove formed within the wall of the bore as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the ring being preferably formed of spring metal so that it is readily insertable and retained within the groove. The pivoted end of the filler bar 26 has atongue portion 30 that engages between the spring-like tongue I5 and the barrel of the pen as shown in Fig. 2 to normally retain the filler and lift bars in retracted position Within the slot. The free end 3I of the filler bar terminates short of the opposite end of the slot 24 to accommodate the lift bar 21. The lift bar is pivotally mounted on the end of the ller bar by a pin 32 intermediate the length thereof. In the illustrated instance the pivot joint is provided by a tongue 33 on the filler bar engaging within a groove-like slot 34 of the lift bar, with the tongue and slot shaped so that the lift bar may be moved from a position substantially parallel with the ller bar as shown in Fig. 3 to a position at right angles thereto as shown in Fig. 2.

When the lift bar is in anvangular position relatively to the filler bar, the grooved end thereof engages on the tongue I5 and supports .the filler bar so that it projects from the barrel of the pen. The hinged end of the lift bar has a tip 35 readily lifted by inserting the fingernail thereunder When the bar is Ito be moved into filling position. To facilitate entrance of the ngernail, the barrel of the pen is provided with a recess 36 at the end of the slot.

In order to retain the ink sack in one position relative to the presser bar and -to prevent turning of the nipple within the barrel of the pen, the

ing it between the thumb and the forenger of one hand so that ,the nail of the forenger may be engaged under the lifting portion of the lif-t` bar to move the lift and filler bar into llingv position as shown in Fig. 2. The forefinger is then pressed against the filler bar 26 so that it pivots into the slot of the barrel to extend the end 3'4 of the lift bar 21 through the slot I5' of the tongue l5 so that it will move the presser bar against the sack to effect collapse of the sack and displacement 0f ythe air therefrom through the point of the pen. When the pressure is released, the sack expands and fills with ink through air pressure acting on the surface of the ink in the receptacle in which the pen is inserted. After filling the pen, the lift bar is moved into parallel relation of the ller bar and the bars are moved into the slot of the barrel.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple and eiective filling mechanism for fountain pens which may be opera-ted by one hand and which is constructed to provide a completely full ink sack.

What I claim and ydesire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fountain pen adapted to be filled with ink `through an end thereof, a barrel having a slot-like opening in a side thereof, an ink sack in the barrel, a spring-like tongue underlying the slot-like opening, a presser bar carried by-said tongue and arranged to press the ink sack, a filler bar having a tongue engaged between the spring-like tongue and said barrel at the end of of the pen, means pivotally mounting said tongue endV of the filler bar within said end of the slotlike opening of the barrel, and a lift bar pivoted intermediate the ends thereof on the end of the the slot-like opening remote from the lling end i filler bar nearest the ll end yof the pen, said v lift bar having a nger engaging tip on one end for moving the other end of the lift bar into coning said pivot ofthe lift bar from said barrel to provide suicient movement `of said contact end into the barrel for collapsing said sack When pressure is applied to the presser bar through movement of the lift bar.

2. In a fountain pen adapted to be filled with ink `through an end thereof, a barrel having a slotlike opening in a side thereof, an ink sack in the barrel, a spring-like tongue underlying the slotlike opening, a presser bar carried by said tongue and arranged to press the ink sack, a filler bar having a tongue engaged between the spring-like tongue and barrel at the end of the slot-like opening remote from the filling end of the pen, means pivotally mounting said tongue end of the filler bar `within said end of the slot-like opening of said barrel, and a lift bar pivoted intermediate the ends thereof on the end of the filler bar nearest the ill end of the pen, said lift bar having av finger engaging tip to move the lift bar into contact with the spring-like tongue and projecting the filler bar from said slot-like opening to press the spring-like tongue into the barrel for collapsing saidink sack when pressure is applied on the presser bar and to provide action in said spring-like tongue to return the ller bar toI its original position.

3. In a fountain pen, a barrel having a slotlike opening in a side thereof, an ink sack in the barrel, a spring acting sack pressing means Within the barrel and vunderlying the slot-like opening including a presser bar extending longitudinally of said ink sack, a filler bar having an end pivoted in one end of theslot-like opening, a tongue on the pivoted end of the filler bar engaged between 4the spring acting pressing mechanism and barrel, said spring acting means being adapted to exert pressure on the filler bar :to normally retain the ller bar within said slot, and a lift bar pivotally connected intermediate its end with the other end of ythe ller bar to provide a finger gripping end for moving said lift bar from a position extending with the filler bar to a position at an angle to the filler bar With the end thereof opposite the finger gripping end engaging the sack pressing means and supporting the filler bar in projected position with respect t0 said slot-like opening and said presser bar in contact with said ink sack.

EDWIN E. KRATZ. 

